A few weeks ago, when I started watching Chasing Shadows, I predicted this thriller to turn into a five-star glory that could be held on par with other quality crime dramas. Now, after seeing all four episodes, I can conclude that I was indeed right. Chasing Shadows is a rich series that not only manages to keep people interested with believable twists and turns, but also manages to maintain the non-cliche integrity it had from it’s first episode.
Just to recap, the show features a missing persons’ unit in London headed by a charming woman, Ruth Hattersley (Alex Kingston) and her new partner, the socially unaware DS Stone (Reece Shearsmith). The first few episodes focused on the pattern of missing young people in London, but the second half of the show shifted to a pattern of missing, and murdered, mentally ill men in the area. The shift in focus is refreshing as well as very smooth. By the end of the series, it’s hard to believe that you were able to get so quickly enthralled in such a complex story despite the fact that it had only received about an episode and a half’s worth of attention. Much like the start of Chasing Shadows, the show is able to progress believably and cunningly whilst abstaining from crime drama cliches and actually teaching you something real about solving crime.
One good thing for any fans of the show, is that the creators have quite obviously left the door open for a second run, with the disappearance of DS Stone’s housekeeper, Adele. Although this twist was devastating to anyone who adored the lovely, straight-talking helper (guilty), it is a great relief as a viewer that the show may live to see a few more episodes. It opens up the ability to explore DS Stone’s social anxiety and lack of understanding, forcing him to become emotional about a case versus the cold, disconnected demeanour he maintains. The creators have the opportunity to expand on this story which feels as though we’ve only scratched the surface of.